1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information record medium such as an optical disk of a high recording density type, which is capable of recording information such as video information, audio information and the like at a high density, and which is represented by a DVD (Digital Video or Versatile Disk). The present invention also relates to a recording apparatus for recording the information onto the information record medium, and a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information from the information record medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a so-called LD (Laser Disk) and a so-called CD (Compact Disk) are generalized as optical disks, on which information such as video information, audio information and the like is recorded.
On the LD, the CD or the like, the video information and the audio information are recorded together with time information indicating a time at which each information is to be reproduced with respect to a reproduction start position, which each LD or the like has, as a standard position. Thus, other than a general normal reproduction to reproduce the recorded information in the order of recording, various special reproductions are possible, such as a reproduction to extract and listen to an only desirable music out of a plurality of recorded musics, a reproduction to listen to the recorded musics in a random order and so on, in case of the CD, for example.
However, there is a problem that, according to the above mentioned CD, LD or the like, a so-called interactive and variegated reproduction is not possible in which the audience can have a plurality of selection branches as for the video or audio information to be displayed or sound-outputted and in which the audience can select them to watch or listen to it. Especially, it is not possible to perform such a complicated reproduction that the audience can select a desirable menu on a so-called GUI (Graphical User Interface) picture plane, in which a sub picture of a transparent user menu etc. is superimposed and displayed on a main picture.
On the other hand, various proposals and developments are being made as for the DVD, as an optical disk in which the memory capacity is improved by about ten times without changing the size of the optical disk itself as compared with the aforementioned conventional CD. According to the knowledge of the present inventors, it is anticipated that it is possible, as for the DVD having such a large memory capacity, to record the sub picture information in addition to the audio information and the video information, and constitute the aforementioned GUI picture plane which is obtained by reproducing the main and sub pictures; and further highlight-display one portion of the sub picture (e.g., display to emphasize one portion by changing the brightness and/or the chroma). Here, it is anticipated that a highlight-display of merely superimposing a static sub picture on a main picture can be realized rather easily by employing the conventional technique of superimposing the subtitles on a movie. On the other hand, in this kind of DVD of a large memory capacity type, it is anticipated that the aforementioned interactive reproduction can be performed.
However, if the highlight-displayed portion of the sub picture is tried to be moved at a high speed, it is anticipated that the time control with respect to the highlight-displayed portion of the sub picture, which is reproduced on the basis of a plurality of informations such as the main picture information (i.e. the video information), the sub picture information, the control information and soon, would be complicated and difficult. In addition, in order to perform the interactive reproduction on the display picture plane at the same function level as that of the personal computer, it is anticipated that the precise time management will be necessary for the highlight-displayed portion of the sub picture.
Further, in the technical art of the DVD, the actuality is such that a person having an ordinary skill in this art does not even recognize the subject itself to move the highlight-displayed portion of the sub picture at a high speed or to realize the interactive reproduction on the display picture plane at the same function level as that of the personal computer.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information record medium, which enables a precise setting of an effective time period of the highlight display or the operation control of the sub picture, and also provide an apparatus for recording the same, and an apparatus for reproducing the same.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information record medium having a record track to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus. The information reproducing apparatus is provided with a read device, is capable of reproducing sub picture information while relatively moving the read device along the record track recorded with at least the sub picture information and is also capable of performing a highlight display of the sub picture information. In the information record medium of the present invention, at least the sub picture information and reproduction control information to control a reproduction of the sub picture information by the information reproducing apparatus are recorded on the record track such that the sub picture information and the reproduction control information are divided into a plurality of groups, each of which is a predetermined unit able to be accessed by the information reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises a sub picture pack in which the sub picture information is contained and a control pack in which the reproduction control information is contained. The reproduction control information comprises (i) highlight display control information prescribing at least one of the highlight display of the sub picture information and an operation control corresponding to the sub picture information and (ii) time management information indicating times to manage a start time and an end time respectively of at least one of an effective time period during which the highlight display is effective and an effective time period during which the operation control is effective by a predetermined unit finer than the predetermined unit of the data group.
According to the information record medium of the present invention, at least the sub picture information and the reproduction control information are recorded on the record track such that they are divided into a plurality of groups, each of which is a predetermined unit able to be accessed by the information reproducing apparatus. Each of the groups comprises the sub picture pack, in which the sub picture information is contained, and the control pack, in which the reproduction control information is contained. Here, the reproduction control information comprises (i) the highlight display control information prescribing at least one of the highlight display of the sub picture information and the operation control corresponding to the sub picture information and (ii) the time management information indicating times to manage the start time and the end time of at least one of the effective time periods of the highlight display and the operation control, by a predetermined unit finer than the predetermined unit of the data group. Thus, at the time of reproduction, it is possible to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture in accordance with the highlight display control information as the occasion demand. And that, at the time of this performance, the start and end of the effective time period of the highlight display and the operation control can be set precisely as for the time in accordance with the time management information, especially.
Accordingly, it is possible to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture precisely as for the time, by use of a rather simple hardware construction and algorithm.
In one aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, respective one reproduction control information belonging to one data group comprises highlight identical information indicating whether the highlight display and the operation control, which are same as those indicated by another reproduction control information belonging to another data group located at a position on the record track to be logically reproduced in previous to the one data group by one unit of the data group, are to be performed or not.
According to this aspect, the reproduction control information comprises the highlight identical information which indicates whether the highlight display and the operation control which are the same as those indicated by the previous reproduction control information are to be performed or not. Thus, at the time of reproduction, by continuing the highlight display and the operation control as they are if it is enough to continue the immediately previous highlight display and operation control according to the pertinent highlight identical information, it is possible to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture precisely as for the time without performing the superfluous data process with respect to the newly reproduced reproduction control information.
In another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, respective one reproduction control information belonging to one data group comprises highlight partially identical information indicating whether the highlight display and the operation control, which specific portion is same as that indicated by another reproduction control information belonging to another data group located at a position on the record track to be logically reproduced in previous to the one data group by one unit of the data group, are to be performed or not.
According to this aspect, the reproduction control information comprises the highlight partially identical information which indicates whether the highlight display and the operation control which specific portion is the same as that indicated by the previous reproduction control information are to be performed or not. Thus, at the time of reproduction, by performing the data process only with respect to the portion other than the identical specific portion of the reproduced information so as to continue the immediately previous highlight display and operation control or add some modification to the immediately previous highlight display and operation control according to the pertinent highlight partially identical information, it is possible to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture precisely as for the time without performing the superfluous data process or updating process with respect to the partially identical portion of the newly reproduced reproduction control information.
Accordingly, the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture can be performed precisely as for the time by use of the rather simple hardware construction and algorithm.
As another aspect of the information record medium of the present invention, the information reproducing apparatus reproduces at least one of main picture information and audio information together with the sub picture information while relatively moving the read device along the record track on which the at least one of main picture information and audio information is further recorded. The at least one of main picture information and audio information is recorded such that the at least one of main picture information and audio information is divided into the plurality of data groups, each of which comprises (i) at least one of a main picture pack in which the main picture information is contained, an audio pack in which the audio information is contained and the sub picture pack and (ii) the control pack. And that, the main picture pack, sub picture pack and audio pack are time-axis-multiplexed and arranged along the record track within the data group or over the plurality of data groups.
According to this aspect, a plurality of data groups has the main picture pack and/or the audio pack in addition to the sub picture pack and the control pack. Here, these main picture pack, sub picture pack and audio pack are time-axis-multiplexed and arranged along the record track within one group or over a plurality of groups. Thus, at the time of reproduction, the main picture information, the sub picture information and the audio information can be reproduced together in correspondence to each other as for the time.
Accordingly, it is possible to perform the reproduction outputs of the main picture information and the audio information and to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture, precisely as for the time, by use of a rather simple hardware construction and algorithm.
An information record medium according to claim 4, wherein the sub picture information is to be superimposed on the main picture information, to thereby be reproduced.
According to this aspect, at the time of reproduction, the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture, which is superimposed on the main picture, can be performed precisely as for the time, by use of a rather simple hardware construction and algorithm.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information recording apparatus for recording information onto an information record medium having a record track to be reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus. The information reproducing apparatus has a read device, is capable of reproducing sub picture information while relatively moving the read device along the record track recorded with at least the sub picture information and is also capable of performing a highlight display of the sub picture information. The information recording apparatus is provided with: a record device for recording onto the record track at least the sub picture information and reproduction control information to control a reproduction of the sub picture information by the information reproducing apparatus such that the sub picture information and the reproduction control information are divided into a plurality of groups, each of which is a predetermined unit able to be accessed by the information reproducing apparatus and each of which comprises a sub picture pack in which the sub picture information is contained and a control pack in which the reproduction control information is contained, the reproduction control information comprising (i) highlight display control information prescribing at least one of the highlight display of the sub picture information and an operation control corresponding to the sub picture information and (ii) time management information indicating times to manage a start time and an end time respectively of at least one of an effective time period during which the highlight display is effective and an effective time period during which the operation control is effective by a predetermined unit finer than the predetermined unit of the data group; and an input device for inputting at least the highlight display control information and the time management information among the reproduction control information.
According to the information recording apparatus of the present invention, at first, by the record device, the sub picture information is recorded into each of the sub picture packs included in each of the groups on the record track. Further, when at least the aforementioned highlight display control information and the time management information among the reproduction control information are inputted by the input device, this reproduction control information is recorded by the record device into each of the control packs. Thus, the above described information record medium of the present invention can be recorded and obtained.
In one aspect of the information recording apparatus of the present invention, the information reproducing apparatus reproduces at least one of main picture information and audio information together with the sub picture information while relatively moving the read device along the record track on which the at least one of main picture information and audio information is further recorded. The record device records onto the record track the at least one of main picture information and audio information such that the at least one of main picture information and audio information is divided into the plurality of data groups, each of which comprises (i) at least one of a main picture pack in which the main picture information is contained, an audio pack in which the audio information is contained and the sub picture pack and (ii) the control pack. And that, the record device comprises a multiplex device for time-axis-multiplexing and arranging the main picture pack, sub picture pack and audio pack along the record track within the data group or over the plurality of data groups.
According to this aspect, since the main picture pack, the sub picture pack, the audio pack etc. are time-axis-multiplexed along the record track within one data group or over a plurality of data groups, the aforementioned aspect of the information record medium of the present invention an be recorded and obtained.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the above described information record medium of the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a read device for reading information recorded at a predetermined reading position on the record track; an extract device for extracting the sub picture pack and the control pack independently from the information read by the read device; a control information decode device for decoding the reproduction control information included in the extracted control pack; a sub picture decode device for decoding the sub picture information included in the extracted sub picture pack; and a control device for controlling the sub picture decode device to perform the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture information in accordance with the highlight display control information and the time management information included in the decoded reproduction control information.
According to the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the information recorded at the predetermined reading position on the record track is read by the read device. Then, the sub picture pack and the control pack are extracted by the extract device independently from this read information. Then, the reproduction control information included in the extracted control pack is decoded by the control information decode device while the sub picture information included in the extracted sub picture pack is decoded by the sub picture decode device. At this time, under the control of the control device, the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture information is performed by the sub picture decode device, in accordance with the highlight display control information and the time management information included in the decoded reproduction control information. Thus, the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture can be performed precisely as for the time, by use of a rather simple hardware construction and algorithm. As a result, an information reproducing apparatus for the DVD, which is capable of performing the interactive reproduction while performing the highlight display and the button operations or the like at precise timings, can be realized.
In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, in the information record medium, at least one of main picture information and audio information is recorded on the record track such that the at least one of main picture information and audio information is divided into the plurality of data groups, each of which comprises (i) at least one of a main picture pack in which the main picture information is contained, an audio pack in which the audio information is contained and the sub picture pack and (ii) the control pack; and the main picture pack, sub picture pack and audio pack are time-axis-multiplexed and arranged along the record track within the data group or over the plurality of data groups. The extract device extracts the at least one of main picture pack and audio pack independently from the information read by the read device. And that, the information reproducing apparatus further comprises at least one of a main picture decode device for decoding the main picture information included in the extracted main picture pack and an audio decode device for decoding the audio information included in the extracted audio pack.
According to this aspect, the main picture pack and/or the audio pack are extracted by the extract device from the information read by the read device. Then, the main picture information, and/or the audio information included in the extracted main picture pack and/or the audio pack are decoded by the main picture decode device and/or the audio decode device, respectively. Thus, the main picture information, the sub picture information and the audio information can be reproduced together in correspondence with each other as for the time, and the highlight display and the operation display of the sub picture as well as the reproduction outputs of the main picture information and/or the audio information can be performed precisely as for the time. As a result, an information reproducing apparatus for the DVD, which is capable of performing the interactive reproduction while performing the highlight display and the button operations or the like together with the main picture and/or the audio sound at precise timings, can be realized.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the control device controls the sub picture decode device to superimpose the decoded sub picture information on the decoded main picture information, in accordance with to the decoded reproduction control information.
According to this aspect, the highlight display and the operation control of the sub picture, which is superimposed on the main picture, can be performed precisely as for the time, by use of a rather simple hardware construction and algorithm.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.